Le Grand Palais, photo credit: Laurent Kronental for Chatillon Architectes
The first images of the refurbished Le Grand Palais have been revealed ahead of the iconic building’s reopening for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Transformed by Chatillon Architectes, the major restoration has been underway since 2021, with the first phase set to be unveiled to the public this summer and the full completion slated for 2025.
Although conceived as a temporary Beaux-Arts palace, the Grand Palais has become one of the most timeless monuments in Paris. Built by the French Republic for the 1900 Universal Exhibition, the Grand Palais is nestled in the heart of the city and serves as an icon of artistic excellence. Over the course of a century, the building became the international showcase of the French cultural scene, hosting the world's greatest exhibitions and events.
Throughout history, the Grand Palais faced fragmentation and neglect, and was even once slated for demolition. Over time, areas of the building have been closed off to the public, resulting in limited access to events and visitor disorientation.
Chatillon Architectes, known for their adept transformation of existing structures, has approached this project with a focus on enhancing public access, improving natural daylight, and reconnecting the Grand Palais with its urban surroundings.
“The opportunity to redevelop an icon is amazing, but the Grand Palais feels like so much more”, says François Chatillon, Founder of Chatillon Architectes. “It’s the opportunity to return a permanent public use to the building, to redevelop the surrounding grounds, to connect the building back with the city, and to adapt it for the Olympics and future generations – this is truly a once in a lifetime project.”
For the first major renovation in the building’s storied history, the architects drew on thousands of archival plans and documents to inform the ambitious project. Aimed at creating a new sense of unity and coherence in the building’s varied spaces, the restoration's impact is substantial. The project has increased overall accessibility for the public, but also its capacity - enabling the Nef to accommodate 60% more guests for events.
Le Grand Palais, photo credit: Laurent Kronental for Chatillon Architectes
The introduction of newfound connections between the three main areas, coupled with improved circulation and new visitor services will allow guests to rediscover the Grand Palais's historical features, joining a free new interior walk from Square Jean Perrin to the Seine via the central square, linking the Palais d'Antin and the Nave. The Nef’s beautiful surrounding balconies, featuring some of the earliest recorded cantilevers, have also been reinforced and restored, allowing them to become part of the visitor journey once again, offering fresh and new perspectives across the grand structure.
Creating public access like never before, Chatillon has removed ad-hoc walls and separations that had been installed over time, most notably reinstating the building’s original central axis, reconnecting the main nave with Palais de la Découverte, restoring a view from the Rotunda that has not been seen since 1939.
Le Grand Palais, photo credit: Laurent Kronental for Chatillon Architectes
The restoration not only facilitates a seamless flow within the building but also reconnects the Grand Palais to the historical cityscape, creating a renewed connection with neighbouring landmarks such as the Champs-Elysées and the Petit Palais.
The new public Grand Palais gardens that surround the structure draw inspiration from the nearby Champs-Élysées gardens, sharing a similar spirit with curved beds and paths, lawns, and a diverse selection of planting.
A wall of evergreen shrubs has been placed along Boulevard Churchill, alongside a wide variety of greenery, roses, perennials, and bulbs — 250 species in total, with over 60,000 plants. Newly-planted lawns will be irrigated by rainwater collected from the building's roofs and many of the new plants have been selected from the wild palette of the Paris basin to support pollination and local biodiversity.
The Grand Palais restoration aligns with a robust sustainable development strategy, integrating modern technical solutions and management practices into the culturally significant site.
With a profound understanding of the Grand Palais's legacy, Chatillon Architectes has ushered it into a new era, safeguarding its relevance and ensuring it continues to be a nexus for creativity, innovation, and grandeur.
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Press release and photos courtesy of Chatillon Architectes
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